Hand in Hand With Parent Involvement

Parents, grandparents, business leaders, and community members will
go back to school next week as part of a national campaign to encourage
Americans to become more involved with education.

"Take Our Parents to School Week," slated for Nov. 18-22, is part of
a broader, $2 million effort by the Mattel Foundation and the Institute
for Educational Leadership in Washington to raise awareness about the
value of parent involvement and community partnerships for
children.

In 20 communities selected for their diversity and desire to
strengthen existing parent involvement, children and adults will get
together for a variety of activities. These might include parents
shadowing students, computer workshops, mural-painting classes, and
handholding ceremonies that create "human circles" around schools.

The week is intended to bring together people who don't usually work
together in support of schools, organizers say. It will start with
public service announcements by actresses Rita Moreno and Meryl
Streep.

The national campaign, called Hand in Hand, will give financial
support for the activities in targeted cities. Its staff also is
collecting information on ways to involve parents and community members
in schools, which it provides via its toll-free line.

Last year, more than 20,000 parents participated. For more
information, call (800) 953-HAND.

--ANN BRADLEY

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